Vesta

December 4, 2010

Several days I ago I sorted through a green Christmas box labeled 2009 Christmas Cards. Inside, I found a handwritten note from Vesta, who was our housekeeper for our family throughout my preschool and lower school years.

Each morning, as I make my girls peanut butter and jelly (Britton) or honey (Kenley), I think of Vesta. Every day after kindergarten I would get dropped off at home (by Mom or carpool, one cannot remember) and walk from the driveway up the navy blue carpeted stairs adjoining the white carport, into our 2nd floor kitchen. My Vesta-hand-made peanut butter and jelly, paired with a glass of cold milk, would be waiting at our kitchen table for me- with a paper towel laid over the plate to keep the bread fresh. Monday through Friday, for years and years Vesta would be there waiting for me.

The 2009 note read, in part…

“Dear Garrett,

Thank you for sending me your Christmas card. Why don’t you come visit me ever? Please come see me. I am 95 years old now- I am not too old to look at. Please come see me and bring your mom and Sara Britton. I live in the same house. Merry Christmas.

Vesta Mae Dea”

I emailed both my Mom and Sister letting them know I was going to visit Vesta this week should they want to go. Both immediately emailed me back saying they were in. So today, we did. Surprise Friday. We drove to her house, Mom knew how to get there by memory. The only bright blue house on her street. Her daughter, who looks just like her, greeted us at the front door and we introduced ourselves, hugged her- and as we were walking in she whispered to mom, “Thank you for coming. She has cancer you know, it is terminal. But we are not telling her so please don’t say anything.”

We didn’t know.

But we sure did enjoy our impromptu visit with Vesta today.

All bedazzled in some Christmas threads I made.

And…. why we enjoy-horseback-riding-Thursdays. Especially when B is riding well and JUMPING.

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